🦞🦂 Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright 🦞🦂

That's nifty stairlift, NS. I hope there's a lap strap😉.

Your DMIL seems quite dogged in her determination to remain independent - will she overcome any uncertainty, do you suppose?
It will be a great reassurance to her family, that's for sure.

I hope you're not suffering with your jabs tonight, Doodle.🌻
Mr.I had his last week, my flu jab is on Tuesday I'm not old enough for the Covid one🤭. A statement from the surgery on Friday on the local FB page pronounced that last Saturday's session had 65 booked cancellations. I could have popped along then ...

Have been busy sorting out winter weight clothing (which fits neither of us, we find) for a local volunteer group who make regular trips to Ukraine. The latest photo they published shows a huge pantechnicon being loaded up with wheelchairs, commodes, perching stools, walkers. A request also for pet items - so a raid on Barney's toy box and larder is on the cards too.

A ring at the door at lunchtime revealed two incredibly polite boys, aged around 10 -11.
They had cycled from the neighbouring town with two buckets, cloths and a plastic folding step strapped to one's back.

Would we like our car cleaned? At £10 (between them), and oozing enterprise, how could we possibly refuse? We were their 4th customers of the day and their initiative had been supported by both sets of parents pleased to see them out in the fresh air.

Mr.I's car positively gleamed, they went away £15 and 2 cans of diet coke better off!

Win, win.

My mother-in-law's lift is really excellent I think. And yes, it does have a seat belt - it won't move unless it's fastened.

It's nice that it gradually changes the angle as it travels and constantly levels itself. It's the only one on the market at the moment that you programme the exact angle of travel for going round curves - apparently.

The young (to me) engineer was really excited fitting it. He said it was his "very favourite" lift of all the different makes they sell. He said he loves fitting stairlifts because they give people "new life" and he said it makes him feel that he's doing something worthwhile.

He really loves this brand! 😂

He is fitting his first ever spiral 🌀staircase on Monday and is really excited about it! He got out photos of it and an engineering type drawing and frankly it's a sort of open plan slippy wood staircase (like my mother-in-law's sort) but with two whole spirals! 😱

I think a lot of people do jobs that yes, give them satisfaction - but also that bring something good to others too.
I know that when I went back to work after my youngest was born I wanted a job that was worth doing on the b

When we lived in America I had a friend who drove community busses part time. She said she did it because she was doing something for others that brightened their day.
She was relentlessly cheery and everyone loved her. Including me.

Another person I've been friends with who saw there job as a societal good was an elderly estate agent in Southern Ireland.
He said he tried really hard to find the perfect match between people wanting a home and the properties he was showing them.
He said it felt like a real responsibility to match them well as most people can't afford to get it wrong. Sometimes he'd say things like "I really wonder if that's the best house for you with a new baby and no transport and the mile drive to the main road - might you get awfully lonely when your husband is away in Cork for weeks on end?"
I was there when he called a very elderly lady up for us and said "I know you have no intention of selling the farmhouse just now but I have the perfect little family who would really look after your home in the future" - she invited us to go to meet her and shs did show us around. When I reported back he said "Well now, she must have liked you a lot I have only ever been invited into the kitchen". Her two sons had both built houses on the farmland and had built her a bungalow that she was resisting moving into.
I actually think of her quite a lot.

Was editing. Posted too soon.
Sorry

I know that when I went back to work after my youngest was born I wanted a job that was worth doing on the basis that if I was taking time from my family I really wanted to be doing some good for someone else's

Apologies.. I hadn't got so far as putting in the bold Kaimoana

I really hope you are doing OK.

I couldn't log on yesterday and thought I'd been banned!
Never mind it's fine again today.
I'm in a field near Forfar with a bunch of crazy potters firing the big wood kiln.
We did 4 hour shifts last night feeding the fire.

A Swedish potter has just arrived bringing her homemade saffron cake ...

Ixion how nice you supported those two boys in their enterprise. I’m ok thanks so far. Last year I wasn’t well after covid but this year I think I’m ok. Been out tonight for an evening soirée (I don’t even know what that means 🤣). Not often out at night now. Fortunately I didn’t have far to walk. It was a lovely evening with a nice group of people.

A thought just flashed through my mind. Do you remember the fun we used to have in the Argy and all the people who used to drop in. Seems a long time ago now.

Notspaghetti that sounds like a really good idea that you have to wear a seatbelt with the stairlift. The Young man that fitted it sounds just the person for the job. What a lovely way of looking at it.

I was just imagining a stairlift on a spiral staircase. I think I might get dizzy.

Grammaretto what a lovely sky in your photo. I couldn’t log in last night either . I wonder if the site was down.
Bit chilly to be outside for four hours although perhaps if you were round the kiln maybe not. Have you been to this place before, I seem to remember you doing something similar.

Kaimoana hope plans are going well to be with your DgD.

That looks fascinating, Grammaretto. I'm going to show my ignorance here, but did you 'pot' on site, or do you all transport your pieces to the kiln and share the firing process? Which 'shift' were you and did you get any sleep? What was your helper up to while you were away?

A soirée, Doodle? A bit more upmarket than those Friday nights with the Admiral at the Argy. Yes, we had such fun - in fact it was that culcheral milyeur which first led me to tiptoe in to the Gransnet circle.
Happy days - one good product of the enforced lockdown of Covid. Sadly missed.

I am clock watching. 60 minutes to go before my next painkiller is due. The tooth with the recent abscess has kicked off again. Hoping I can stave off trouble before the need for more antibiotics.

Is Jeeves around, please? One of his special nightcaps wouldn't come amiss 🥃🙏 .

I hope your sorting is going OK, Kaimoana. Difficult times, of course💐

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Hello Lobstars,
I am glad the stairlift looks to be a success NotSpag
My DMiL had 2. One which looked a lot like yours, in the house she lived in with DFiL. She didn't use it to begin with as it was for him but after he died, she began to and one of the stipulations before she could move into her DS basement flat was the installation of a stairlift but by then someone always had to help her on and off.
The lift is still in his flat. He may need it sooner than later.

I was at the film last night When Harry met Sally and was told that the grown up disabled DD of one of our friends died suddenly at the weekend, at the care home where she has lived for some time.
I will phone my df. soon.

Such a nice story of those boys and your clean car ixion.

As for the wood kiln. There are a lot of members of the group and if there's space we bring our bisque fired, ready glazed pots to fill the kiln. There are always too many and it can take ages to fit as many as possible in leaving strategic gaps for peering through spyholes to see if the pyrometric cones have begun to bend and melt.
There's to be another firing in November. This was the third firing I have been part of. There's a wood stove to sit by before the kiln gets hot.

Sorry about the tooth abcess 😫 .

I hear my helper next door in the kitchen. I should go through.

The photos are the kiln looking quite spooky at night and before it was lit.

Grammaretto the photo in the darkness is lovely
In years to come I think you will look back on that one with a quiet sort of, "companionable joy".

Ixion I’m sorry about your tooth, neuralgic pain is difficult to subdue. Hope the pain killers work.

I will send Jeeves with some special brew knock out drops.

Grammaretto I’m sorry about your friends daughter. Must be a shock for her and the family.

The firing sound quite a communal gathering. Quite fun if possibly a little cold. Do the others who use this process not have kilns of their own or is this particular type one that gives good results. Whatever it sounds like a nice thing to do, glad you’re going again but take something to keep you warm
Actually looks very peaceful.

I had a nice time last night. We had some nice nibbles and drinks then watched an eco film and had a chat about what some members of the group are doing.

Fellowship coffee morning this morning. Another friendly bunch of people and even more cake !

Kaimoana i know it’s not easy for you to reply but just want you to know we’re thinking of you.

Well, Doodle has asked of you all the pottery questions I was going to ask, Grammaretto. Just one more - how long can you leave it between making your item and getting it to firing in the kiln? Do you have to pack and dash sort of thing?

I was so sorry to read about your friend's sad loss - was it unexpected?🥀

I wonder how NN's poorly leg is doing? Hoping for a trouble- (if not pain-) free recovery.

I am gearing up for an early visit to the dentist tomorrow.

Despite leaving two messages, no one has called me back today. 🦷😢
My padded jacket, camping stool and thermos are ready for the off - if they have to open up by stepping over me camping out, so be it.
Pain ⬆️ through the roof again.

I can't decide between an application of hot wheat bag or a bag of frozen peas.
Does Jeeves have anything tempting on board?

At this rate, the flu jab later on will be a welcome distraction.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend's DD Grammaretto 🥀

I'm sure you've tried all the usual remedies ixion, if they fall over you and your camping stool in the morning I hope they bend over backwards to help you.

Doodle it's really lovely to hear that this Monday has been good to you 😊

Great starlift for your DMiL NotSpaghetti, I hope it proves to be a big help for her.

How are you getting on Kaimoana, okay I hope 🤞 x

Answer to ixion's pottery question.
1) Make pot
2) Leave it to dry.
3) Bisque fire it in my case in my electric kiln to c1000°C
4) glaze the pot
5) Carefully transport pot to kiln.
6) help pack kiln making sure your own pot gets in!
7) Return to kiln a week later. Open and unpack kiln.
8) Admire!
9) Have just come home from Stirling to take home my unsold work after a month long exhibition 😞

10) Make more pots......

Quite a process Grammaretto what advantage does the kiln hold over he electric one you use?
Hope you sold some pots in the exhibition.
Ixion sorry your tooth is causing so much pain. Hope you managed to get into the dentist today and have it treated. How are you tonight?
Cherry yes it was a lovely day thank you. I have several days when I enjoy meeting people and doing things. Thinking of DH and missing him is ever present in my mind and I would be with him again in a heartbeat if I could but in the meantime while I’m waiting I will do what I can to make life good for our family. Sending love and cwtches to you and WP.
Love and cwtches to you to Kaimoana

Thank you, Grammaretto for taking the trouble to elaborate on the whole firing process - it seems very companionable when you can meet up for a communal session. Even the middle-of-the-night shift!

We have a new receptionist at the dentists, a proper harridan, who insisted that my dentist had not arranged to put me on a standby list for cancellations for planned, booked appointments.

Other surgeries might do that, we don't. 🤷‍♀️Tail, wag, dog? ...

I got my emergency appointment- 48 hours on.
Luckily, my 🦷 is getting better, but I shan't tell her that on Thursday.
Hey ho.

You carry on, Doodle, with doing what you can to make life good for your family but please don't underestimate how your very presence here binds us all together through good and bad times too🌻.

I'm glad the tooth is somewhat improved ixion . Sorry about the harridan 😔.

Oh Doodle . Sending ❤️ and hugs and cwtches to you.

None of my pots sold at the exhibition sadly. 😔 but the upside of that is I still have them to put somewhere else where they may sell. 🤣

As for the wood kiln v electric. I prefer the effects possible from Ash and flame. Electric firings can be beautiful but much more predictable. I like the element of surprise.

Tomorrow I have a group coming here in the morning who want to hear about the history of my house. I think it will be a fairly small group.

My 2 youngest DGD are coming in the afternoon. I'll need to plan some activities.

Has Jeeves done his rounds? I had rooibos, what did you all have?

Hello All,
I had Yunnan, Grammaretto
So sorry for you Ixion, teeth can be debilitating if painful
I've forgotten to tell you that I went swimming yesterday (well mainly walking in the pool - and then later to Physio... - exhausted after. Should have increased little by littlebut it was truly lovely to be in the water and i think i disengaged my common sense!

I had to look up yunnan, NotSpaghetti. I will have to try it.

Well done on your swimming too. I hope you haven't been too energetic, too soon.

The group was very good this morning, 9 of us pored over the records I have and managed to find .
There was an amazing coincidence too. An ancestor of one lady lived in the same house as an ancestor of DH. I produced photos of his family outside the house and she says she has more evidence at home. So we are now almost sisters in law!

The wee girls were here in the afternoon mostly in the pottery making Halloween lanterns. They may not be finished in time for this year but there will be more Halloweens.

Rooibos always makes me think of my dad who used to buy this when I was little.*
He used to boil it up with milk sometimes for me at bedtime in the winter when I might have otherwise just had warm milk or milk and honey. Sometimes I'd make it with milk for my own children in the winter - they liked it best with a vanilla pod in the milk too - as well as a little honey.

Ixion surely all dentists keep back a couple of appointments for emergencies. I’ve not hear of one that doesn’t. Glad your tooth is feeling a bit better though.
Hat a nice thing to say thank you.
Must admit I’ve just had a bit of a snivel. Just wishing and doing the if only’s. But I’m ok. Art tomorrow and then bereavement group at church which will help.
Grammaretto thank your for the ❤️ and cwtches. Same back to you, I bet there are many times when that loneliness gets to you too. We plod on don’t we.
Shame about your pots. Let’s hope they sell at the next exhibition.
Im glad the talk about your house went well. How funny that lady has some photos too. Will you meet u,p again do you think? I would love to have been there and heard your story. Have a lovely time with your DGDs. I wonder hat you did with them. I used to love doing some craft things with ours.
I don’t drink tea so Jeeves knows how I like my coffee. He also gave me two squares of really dark chocolate. Nice but not bitter. I have discovered he has a secret stash of sweets and cakes. If you ask him nicely he’ll get them for you.
Notspaghetti sounds like you’re doing well. How much longer will you have physio?
I can drink hot chocolate and cappuccino made with milk but can’t drink hot milk in black coffee or hot milk with other things in it. If I can smell hot milk it makes me nauseous so it has to be in something with a strong taste.
Art tomorrow. Doing drawing of the Eiffel Tower. Not that it will look anything like it. Mine will be an electricity pylon

Don't worry Doodle.
You won't be the first😆

What an interesting morning Grammaretto.
I started, a while back, tracking down all the people who had lived in our house.
One was a Sea Captain in the 19th century, who moved, with his wife, little girl and (Welsh) servant to Liverpool.

It's one of those long term projects, open ended and very much a winter-weather hobby.

Do your DGDs stay over with you?
I wonder what you have planned for tomorrow.

How is the stairlift orientation going, NS?

I see on the News that the Royal Albert Hall is hosting a Sumo wrestling contest.
I feel lithe and positively graceful in comparison.

The group were rather fascinated by the brazier which my electrician found in the eaves of the attic. It's extremely rusty and inside are a few broken pottery shards, a band of wallpaper and the lid of a hat box with the address of a posh Paris milliner, early 20th century.

I think I have talked about this before on here but I imagined the servants taking the brazier with the last of the coals to the attic bedroom to keep warm. There is no heat up there.
My group thought it was used for roasting chestnuts.

On the 1891 census there were 7 servants living here including a 19yr old lad who one of the group think is their relative- same name- and is going to explore further.

I renewed my research pass for Register House but have not had time to use it. You are quite right ixion
This is a winter pass time.

My DGC stay at the other GP very near me. Today they are going to the museum with their uncle and cousin.

Doodle I am looking forward to seeing your Eiffel tower!

ixion i love it. My Eiffel Tower is certainly wonky and likely to topple over at any minute, probably crushing the huge croissants that I’ve drawn on the table in a cafe near by,
Grammaretto i haven’t finished my Eiffel Tower yet, I didn’t have time to finish my drawing let alone paint it but I will show you when it’s done.
Your house sounds fascinating. I wonder if that servant was related to your visitor.

How are our Lobstars?

I think I saw BoadiceaJones post on another thread but it may have been an old one.
I wish more people would drop in occasionally to update us with what's going on, like Cherry does.

I'm about to collect my DGD from other grans and take them foraging. That's if they still want to come. I'll be disappointed if they don't.

Any news from Kaimoana?